Mosque in Chicago-area shot with air rifle

Chicago
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A 51-year-old has been arrested in Chicago for allegedly shooting a mosque in a northern Chicago suburb with his air rifle.

CBS News reports that David Conrad was taken into custody after his high-velocity air rifle -- that was fitted with a scope -- was seized. He is the prime suspect in polices investigation into a shooting at the Muslim Education Center in Morton Grove.

He has been charged with aggravated discharge of a firearm and of criminal damage to property. The shots he fired -- there were at least two -- reportedly damaged an outer brick wall of the center.

The president of the mosque, a man named Mahamad Aleemuddin reckons that Conrad should be charged with a hate crime for the action he took.

Raw Story ran a report stating that it was only hours after Republican Joe Walsh released a statement alleging that Islam was "a real threat," and was trying to "kill Americans."

Mr. Walsh claimed that "It's [radical Islam] is here. It's in Elk Grove. It's in Addison, It's in Elgin. It's here," he warned before adding that another 9/11 is "not a matter of if. It's a matter of when."

Conrad had opposed the mosque and attended community meetings in 2003 and 2004 to voice his opposition. The vice president of the Muslim Community Center of Chicago said that Conrad was in a number of disputes with them down through the years remarking that he has "always been a thorn in our side."